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I want to recover files deleted by accident. I know how to recover the files using testdisk/photorec. This post is not about how to recover files. It is about how an Ubuntu live USB handles downloaded data.

I have a bootable flash drive with Ubuntu on it already and considered using it to avoid changing anything on the computer's hard drive. However, I was advised that there are some circumstances where Ubuntu will use the host computer's hard drive even when booting from a secondary drive, with little explanation as to how or why. I have seen in my research that Ubuntu will use either the computer's RAM or a file to preserve its state, which is also not saved on the host's hard drive. I am working with conflicting information.

I plan to recover the files using PhotoRec from a live usb, copying the recovered files to an external hard drive. I want to do everything I can to avoid touching the computer's hard drive until after PhotoRec is run.

My question is, how does an Ubuntu bootable drive handle downloaded data (such as packages and apt updates)? What happens if the amount of data downloaded exceeds the size of the RAM cards installed?

Also, as a side note, does anyone know off the top of their heads where I can find the code that would answer these questions? It may be obvious, but I can't seem to find it.

strawberry_kittens
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The interactions between live USB and your hard drive are determined by you. If you run out of RAM it will write to a swap file (not on your deleted files). In Ubuntu LINUX OS, those deleted files are put in a area called "trash" and reserved in case you want to restore them. (If you emptied your trash bin and you are trying to recover the deleted files..... DO NOT write anything to that disk). A live USB boots and operates independent and mounts the other drives it does not change them, unless you tell it to. Note: There is also a restore from trash feature. Recover

Create a Ubuntu Live USB with Persistent Storage. Boot up on that Live USB. It will mount the Hard Drive, go to the Trash Bin and Copy/Paste those files onto your Ubuntu Live USB. (You may have to set privilege and permissions "chown/chmod")

I understand the question better now than at the first. If the file is very large, there is a option to split the file into parts. here

Nishnabe
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